NameCensus.

UK surname

Prins

A Dutch occupational surname referring to a prince or son of a king.

In the 1881 census there were 11 people recorded with the Prins surname, ranking it #32,081 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 143, ranked #24,505, up from #32,081 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Swansea, South Cambridgeshire and County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Prins is 163 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1200.0%.

1881 census count

11

Ranked #32,081

Modern count

143

2016, ranked #24,505

Peak year

2010

163 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Prins had 11 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #32,081 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 143 in 2016, ranked #24,505.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 57 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Prins surname distribution map

The map shows where the Prins surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Prins surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Prins over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 8 #31,867
1861 historical 57 #26,718
1881 historical 11 #32,081
1891 historical 54 #29,849
1901 historical 21 #31,686
1911 historical 31 #29,952
1997 modern 101 #26,774
1998 modern 117 #25,190
1999 modern 131 #23,709
2000 modern 124 #24,469
2001 modern 116 #25,089
2002 modern 120 #25,110
2003 modern 127 #24,019
2004 modern 137 #23,098
2005 modern 136 #23,205
2006 modern 129 #24,165
2007 modern 145 #22,693
2008 modern 143 #23,160
2009 modern 158 #22,168
2010 modern 163 #22,205
2011 modern 153 #22,996
2012 modern 148 #23,457
2013 modern 150 #23,653
2014 modern 150 #23,864
2015 modern 143 #24,481
2016 modern 143 #24,505

Geography

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Where Prins' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Swansea, South Cambridgeshire, County Durham and Croydon. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Swansea 019 Swansea
2 South Cambridgeshire 010 South Cambridgeshire
3 County Durham 035 County Durham
4 Croydon 006 Croydon
5 Croydon 021 Croydon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Prins

These lists show first names that appear often with the Prins surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Prins

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Prins, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Prins surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Prins household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Prins is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Prins is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Prins falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Prins is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

This describes the area pattern most associated with Prins, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Prins

The surname Prins is of Dutch origin, derived from the Dutch word "prins" which means "prince." It is believed to have originated in the Netherlands during the medieval period.

The earliest recorded instances of the Prins surname can be traced back to the 13th century in various parts of the Netherlands, particularly in the provinces of North and South Holland, as well as in the region of Friesland. Historical records from this time period often spelled the name as "Prinse" or "Printz."

During the late Middle Ages, the Prins surname was commonly associated with individuals who held positions of authority or had close ties to nobility. This could include members of the royal court, high-ranking officials, or individuals who were in service to noble families.

One notable individual with the Prins surname was Jan Prins (1378-1449), a Dutch merchant and diplomat who served as an envoy to England during the reign of Henry V. Another prominent figure was Willem Prins (1543-1612), a Dutch theologian and reformer who played a significant role in the Dutch Reformation.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, the Prins surname began to spread beyond the Netherlands as Dutch settlers and traders ventured to other parts of Europe and eventually to the Americas and other colonies. For instance, Jacob Prins (1595-1671) was a Dutch colonist who settled in New Amsterdam (present-day New York City) in the mid-17th century.

Throughout the following centuries, the Prins surname continued to be found across various regions of the Netherlands and other Dutch-speaking areas. Notable individuals include Pieter Prins (1738-1804), a Dutch painter and engraver known for his landscapes and historical scenes, and Willem Prins (1811-1888), a Dutch politician and statesman who served as the Prime Minister of the Netherlands from 1866 to 1868.

In more recent history, the Prins surname has been associated with individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions, including artists, academics, and public figures. For example, the Dutch artist Marijke Prins (1955-present) is known for her abstract paintings and installations.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Prins families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Prins surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 9 Prins' recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.39x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 9 8.39x
Northumberland 1 6.27x
Warwickshire 1 3.70x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Whitechapel London in Middlesex leads with 4 Prins' recorded in 1881 and an index of 377.36x.

Place Total Index
Whitechapel London 4 377.36x
St James Dukes Place 3 15000.00x
Paddington London 2 50.76x
Aston 1 13.42x
Callaly Yetlington 1 10000.00x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Prins surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Hanna 2
Adelaide 1
Elizabeth 1
Esther 1
Mary 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Prins surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Abraham 1
Hirschel 1
Jacques 1
Lion 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Prins households.

FAQ

Prins surname: questions and answers

How common was the Prins surname in 1881?

In 1881, 11 people were recorded with the Prins surname. That placed it at #32,081 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Prins surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 143 in 2016. That gives Prins a modern rank of #24,505.

What does the Prins surname mean?

A Dutch occupational surname referring to a prince or son of a king.

What does the Prins map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Prins bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.